Southwest Planning District Commission Wastewater (language only)

Item 388 #1c

Language
Page 305, after line 14, insert:
"F. The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the State Water Control Board shall give a high priority to securing funding for regional facility and capacity planning related to wastewater treatment and water quality in the Lenowisco, Cumberland Plateau, and Mount Rogers Planning District Commissions. Possible sources of funding which the Director shall pursue, in cooperation with the planning district commissions, include: State Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) through US Environmental Protection Agency, Rural Utility Services funding through the US Department of Agriculture, and funds available to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.  In considering financing through the wastewater treatment revolving loan fund, and the interest rate of the loan, the State Water Control Board shall consider the economic capacity of the localities in question, and the important environmental quality benefits to be gained from planning and development of adequate wastewater treatment capacity. There is hereby established a sum sufficient nongeneral fund appropriation in the Department of Environmental Quality, not to exceed the amount of grants received through these programs in which the Department is a grant recipient on behalf of the planning district commissions."

Explanation
(This amendment directs the DEQ Director to seek federal funds for wastewater planning studies for localities in Southwest Virginia with inadequate wastewater treatment facilities. The communities involved face potential sanctions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and these funds will facilitate the construction of more efficient regional treatment facilities.)